Bach: Six Partitas

Amazon.com These partitas are offered out of traditional sequence – V, III, I, II, IV and VI. Although there is no reason to think that Bach wrote the partitas to be performed together, this arrangement provides the most logical key progression (G – a minor – B flat – c minor – D – e minor). From his side of the footlights, Andras Schiff also notes that in live performance the inner tranquility of the B-flat major partita (traditionally #1), is something that live audiences are seldom ready or settled-in to hear. As one would expect, you can’t hear Schiff using any pedal, but the abstinence is much more pronounced than his earlier recording or most other prominent renditions. The effect is liberating. Free from lingering harmonics, this performance seems dedicated to the melodies within, as line and voice assume a clarity seldom heard. Recorded live in a 16th Century former armory in Neumarkt, Germany, there is an almost eerie lack of audience noise, although the placement of left and right hands in the stereo image is nigh on perfect. Schiff leads the listeners unflagging attention in an unbroken thread for hours. Masterly. — Hugo Munday Product Description Andras Schiff’s new live-recording of some of the most beautiful piano music by Johann Sebastian Bach. Schiff has long been recognized as one of the leading Bach interpreters on the modern piano. His playing combines spontaneity, intellectual depth, and a ravishing sound with flawless technical finish. Following his worldwide success with Beethoven, his new Bach is certain to receive wide media attention. Booklet includes an extensive essay on the recorded repertoire and a performer’s note by Andras Schiff. Review “Andras Schiff is probably the most ingenious and resourceful performer of Bach on the modern piano around today.” — San Francisco Chronicle

Features

• Six Partitas
• brand: ECM RECORDS
• manufacturer: ECM New Series